~ politics for the people

Tories’ extra powers mean they can legally subvert democracy – just like the Nazis

Tory housing minister Gavin Barwell. It may seem unlikely but he is following in the footsteps of the Nazis [Image: The Independent].

Everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.

Yes, I know those words were stolen and used (wrongly) as the basis of an anti-Semitism claim against a long-standing Labour Party member. I’m stealing them back.

They were originally spoken by civil rights legend Martin Luther King, referring to the fact that every move to strip away the rights of his people was legitimised by Adolf Hitler in laws passed by his Nazi government.

Now the Conservative Government is following exactly the same pattern, here in the UK.

New powers, passed by the Tories, have been used by housing minister Gavin Barwell to stop development plans in Bradford, despite those plans having won public approval – because Shipley MP Philip Davies doesn’t like them.

The concern about building on greenfield land would appear to be a front. According to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), there are plans to build more than a quarter of a million houses on green belt land, due to Tory relaxation of planning rules.

So now the Tories get to decide where we can build our houses – on green belt land if they like – but only on land they choose. And they’ll stop any plan they don’t like – as favours to each other.

But don’t worry – it’s all legal. Just like in Nazi Germany.

The Government’s Housing Minister has been accused of blocking the building of thousands of homes as a “mate’s favour” to a fellow Conservative MP who complained about them.

Gavin Barwell used his powers as a minister to intervene and suspend development plans in Bradford after a request from Tory colleague Philip Davies, putting them under potentially indefinite review.

In a letter seen by The Independent the minister wrote to Bradford Metropolitan District Council to tell them he was using his powers under the Planning Act to direct them not to proceed until he gave them further notice.

The letter explicitly cites complaints by Mr Davies, the MP for Shipley, as the reason for the suspension of the project, which has been nine years in the planning. The minister’s intervention invokes new powers the government granted itself earlier this year.

“The Secretary of State has received a request to intervene in the Bradford Core Strategy Development Plan (“The Plan”) from Philip Davies, MP for Shipley,” the letter to the council says.

“The request raises a number of issues including the proposed release of green belt, particularly in Wharfedale, development of green belt before brownfield land is exhausted … and the appropriate location for development to alleviate housing need and contribute to the regeration of Bradford city centre.”

“This week, the Housing Minister in your department wrote to Bradford Council directing them to halt the adoption of their development plan which would build more homes for the people of Bradford. Despite all stages of consultation and approval – from local people, council and Planning Inspector – being completed, this action stops the plan’s adoption in its tracks,” he wrote.

“According to the Housing Minister this decision was taken merely because a fellow Conservative MP wrote in complaint. There is no attempt by the Minister to defend the substance of the complaint. Without justification, his decision to intervene smacks of a political ‘mate’s favour’.”

A DCLG spokesperson described the suspension of development as a “holding decision” and said it was issued because of concerns about building on greenbelt land.

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8 thoughts on “Tories’ extra powers mean they can legally subvert democracy – just like the Nazis”

I suggest that Bradford Council cease in the provision of services to the Shipley Constituency. Any time that a decision is due regarding service provision to that area (eg “should we empty their bins today”), then that decision should be fillibustered.
That is what that constituency voted for: that is what they should be given.

Other than the objection to using green belt land, something that has been rejected as a reason not to build in many other areas, and that all brownfield sites have not been exhausted, some would cost far to much to make safe for housing, although in this case I personally do not know if this is the case in Bradford, so we would need more information before actually claiming mates favours.

Would that be the odious Philip Davies who filibusts and a private landlord who has interests in private developments? Would that mean the Bradford project involving the council building 500 social and affordable homes, something the Tories are absolutely against and really “in the face” of Davies?

We were discussing this the other day: was everything the Nazis did actually legal, or did they just get away with it?
Our government has passed unlawful legislation, some of which has been successfully challenged in the courts, some remains unchallenged, yet still illegal…

hmm havent we seen aktion t4 rolling along without much of a ado yes one sais not real but history will put this one right the laws are being changed just look at our ministers and mps who have jobs with the company’s who get (bugger the words fail me again brain dead) back handers and the likes they changes the law to suit just like changing their clothing

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